From Modernism to Postmodernism Essay

Some words comprise of action or movement but the real definition of these words is not conversant. This is the same case with modernism and postmodernism. However, modernism has something to do with drama, music, literature, visual and performing arts while postmodernism are scientific perception away from art.

At the dawn of 20th century, superb literary critics and writers embarked in modernism literature leading to the century’s modernism. According to literature understandings, modernism is an art of subjectivism and impressionism. Stories created under modernism based their mood in third-person narration. Furthermore, writers wanted a clear distinction between different genres while in poetry poems were just documentaries.

Modernism came into limelight when sentiments, logic and power of vision borrowed heavily from schools of thought like positivism and naturalism. Century writers wrote materials unleashing new life styles. This is because, these writers wanted to bring in new vigor into a new century, because, the former century was marred by copying western cultures and scary activities. The desire to move out of the era of modernism to postmodernism was desirable.

On the other hand, postmodernism will comprise of new visions that empower people to think on their own and act by themselves. Unlike modernism, the evolution into postmodernism saw humanity adored and technology advance. The papers will examine how modernism evolved into postmodernism. Of great importance to note is the change in writing, analyzing and thoughts. Instead of positivism and naturalism as schools of thought, modernistic schools portray the true nature of postmodernism. (Madsen Para.1-2).

Modernism is of great importance. In fact, without modernism, postmodernism is a dream never come true. From evolution to Christianity to science and technology, modernism played a big role. Therefore, modernity of yesterdays is modernism while today’s modernism is postmodernism. Something that only changes between these two periods is perceptions. Writers, politicians under pressure to restore sanity, sought to think and act so that postmodernism becomes a reality. (Rachel Para. 6-9).

The First World War depicted a society full of chaos and disarrays in social norms. Modernist authors like Elliot, Pound and Yeats capitalized this situation to shed light on the dangers of continuing to abhor past tenets. Egalitarian societal norms from western culture and disgusting chaos forced these authors to adopt elitism as a new thinking style.

However, elitism evolved to critical thinking in postmodernism. For example, on science matters, literary critics teased readers with strong sentiments that invoke their power of logic and reason. Though modernism seems to be fragmentation of ideas, at least, there is an art vision. The changed perceptions were leading people and nations towards postmodernism. (Hoffman Para. 1-11).

Indeed, there are differences between modernism and postmodernism. Nevertheless, these problems arose due to discarding old dogmas and adopting new and outstanding perceptions. Some authors define a change of modernism to postmodernism as changes that come within capitalistic markets.

The dawn of modernism in early 20th century flanked by technological advancements like in the motor industry, aesthetics and literature begun a new thinking approach. Another characterization associated with modernism during this early period of the century was monopolistic capitalism of electric motors.

On the other hand, it came a period of postmodernism in consumer capitalism where an art of exchange of commodities and services perfect. The latest advances in electronic consumer goods and nuclear proliferation associate with postmodernism. Thus, the change from modernism to postmodernism fuelled by new ideas into art, aesthetics and science saw an era of postmodernism. (Klages Para. 18-25).

From the above analysis, it is evident that, modernism was a view based on art and literature while on the other hand, postmodernism is a view based in the science of manufacturing and consumer capitalism. During the modernism era, crude means took precedent. However, as knowledge increased, sophisticated means came to limelight hence, postmodernism.

Postmodernism started after the end of Second World War paving way for new ideas and visualization. In a school of postmodernists, narration is the driver of truth and reflections. Moreover, postmodernists adopt new data and new visions while modernistic values and cultural norms such as fascism disappear. British writers in the postmodern age like Plath, argues that, postmodernism is about conceptual, and far-reaching thinking rather than theoretical explanations. (Klages Para. 30-39).

Notably, in modernism, disorder and chaos ruled. These cataclysmic and intriguing events together with western lifestyle, dictated the type of literature authored challenging modernism. Interestingly, on the other hand, postmodernism outpaced these events by rather adopting an ethical and moral ground.

Thus, books, poems, and narratives authored during modernism age focused more about ills of that society. Postmodernism writers centre their literary materials on morality, consumer capitalism and new thinking techniques as an achievement. This is because, postmodernism compose of these hard worn values.

In conclusion, modernism and postmodernism are schools of though that differs only in vision and thinking. Though gone, modernism characterized by insanity, portrayed hoe fragment the school of thought it is. On the contrary, postmodernism school of thought comprise of respecting the rule of law, respect of human rights and guarantees freedom of expression.

The change of modernism to postmodernism is an evolution of traditional believes and practices to a modern way of thinking. Additionally, these include the latest advancements in manufacturing, capitalism, science and technology. Nevertheless, postmodernism is vision-based and far much better than modernism. Overall, modernism and postmodernism differ because, the later is visionary than the former.

Work Cited

Hoffman, Louis. Premodernism, Modernism, & Postmodernism: An Overview. 2008. Web.

Klages, Mary. Postmodernism. 2007. Web.

Madsen, Art. The Advent of Modernism and the Drift toward Postmodernism. (n.d). Web.

Rachel, Evans. From modernism to postmodernism: evolution vs. accommodation. 2008. Web.